Most Expensive Homes Sold in 2021 in the DMV

Question: What were some of the most expensive homes sold this year in the DMV?

Answer: Happy holidays and new year everybody! I hope you’ve been enjoying this unusually warm weather and reconnecting with family and friends for some holiday cheer, we all need it!

It’s always fun to look back at the most expensive homes sold in our nook of the world, so without further ado, let’s take a look at the most expensive homes sold this year in DC, Maryland, and Virginia. Note: this includes what is entered into the MLS, it’s certainly possible (likely) that expensive homes have traded hands outside of the MLS.

The most expensive home sold this year in all three DMV states is a 16,000 SqFt home built in 2018 that sits on 16.5 acres along the Potomac River that sold for an incredible $48,000,000! That beats out last year’s leading sale by $3M.

Top 5 Most Expensive Sales in Arlington

Listing by Melanie Hayes, TTR Sotheby’s International Realty (3155 20th St N, Arlington, VA 22201)

While Arlington’s average and median prices are sky-high, it doesn’t have many ultra high-end properties we see elsewhere in the region. Arlington’s most expensive sale this year came from the top floor of the new luxury condo building, Pierce, at $3,920,000. The next most expensive home, pictured above, is a single-family home in Lyon Village, sold for $3,750,000.

Top 5 Most Expensive Sales in Alexandria

Listing by Babs Beckwith, McEnearney Associates, Inc (711 Prince St, Alexandria, VA 22314)

The most expensive sale in Alexandria was a beautiful single-family home built in 1800 on a double lot in the heart of Old Town, that sold for $5,000,000.

Top 5 Most Expensive Sales in Fairfax County

Listing by Heather Corey, TTR Sotheby’s International Realty (7979 E Boulevard Dr, Alexandria, VA 22308)

Fairfax County boasts the two most expensive sales in DC, MD, and VA at $48M and $15M. Both homes sit on the Potomac River.

Top 5 Most Expensive Sales in Loudoun County

Listing by Lou Casciano, Pearson Smith Realty, LLC (40860 Browns Ln, Waterford, VA 20197)

The most expensive home in Loudoun County sold for $6,000,000 and sits on 423 acres with the original 1759 home still standing.

Top 5 Most Expensive Sales in Washington DC

Listing by Michael Rankin, TTR Sotheby’s International Realty (2850 Woodland Dr NW, Washington, DC 20008)

The most expensive home sold in Washington DC is a 10,300 SqFt home built in 1927, that sits on one acre, for $13,000,000.

Top 5 Most Expensive Sales in Montgomery County

Listing by Wendy Banner, Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc (9210 Fox Meadow Ln, Potomac, MD 20854)

The most expensive home sold in Montgomery County is a sprawling home in Potomac, MD, just past Congressional Country Club, coming in at $8,500,000.

Top 5 Most Expensive Sales in the DMV, Outside Greater DC Metro

Buyer represented by Cindy Polk, Compass (2337 Zulla Rd, Middleburg, VA 20117)

The most expensive sale in the DMV, outside of the greater DC Metro area, was for $14,500,000 for a 386 acre waterfront property in Oxford, MD which is just a short distance from St Michaels, MD.

I hope this makes for some fun conversation during the holidays about what type of ultra high-end you would buy if you could!

If you’d like to discuss buying, selling, investing, or renting, don’t hesitate to reach out to me at Eli@EliResidential.com.

If you’d like a question answered in my weekly column or to discuss buying, selling, renting, or investing, please send an email to Eli@EliResidential.com.

Video summaries of some articles can be found on YouTube on the Ask Eli, Live With Jean playlist.

Most Expensive Homes Sold in the DMV in 2020

Answer: Happy holidays to you and yours! I hope you are finding new ways to enjoy the season and connect with family and friends this year. I’m going to keep my final post of 2020 light and take a look at the most expensive sales in the DMV in 2020, something we all enjoy doing!

Despite its Missing Ultra High-End Market [sarcasm], Arlington boasts the most expensive sale in the DMV in 2020, by a LOT, with the sale of a massive estate along the Potomac River for $45,000,000. This price tag earns the new owner over 31,000sqft of living space, 3.2 acres, a 30-car garage, and gorgeous views of the Potomac River.

Listing and photo by Russell Firestone, TTR Sotheby’s International Realty (409 Chain Bridge Rd, Arlington)

Top 5 Most Expensive Sales in Arlington

Arlington’s five most expensive sales in 2020 include the region-leading $45M sale mentioned above and four sales ranging from $2.88M-$3.35M, including two condos in Rosslyn’s iconic Turnberry Tower.

Listing and photo by Nancy Taylor Bubes, Washington Fine Properties (1881 N Nash St #2301, Arlington)

Top 5 Most Expensive Sales in Alexandria

Alexandria’s five most expensive sales in 2020 include four homes in Alexandria’s new waterfront condo and townhouse community, Robinson Landing, and one incredibly unique single-family home on ¼ acre in the heart of Old Town (pictured below).

Listing and photo by MaryEllen Rotondo, McEnearney Associates (217 S Fairfax St, Alexandria)

Top 5 Most Expensive Homes in Fairfax County

Fairfax County’s five most expensive sales in 2020 include three homes in Great Falls and two homes in Mclean ranging from $5.6M-$24M. Pictured below is what $7M gets you in Great Falls – over 20,000sqft, 5 acres, and stunning landscape and architectural design.

Listing and photo by Piper Yerks, Washington Fine Properties (576 Innsbruck Ave, Great Falls)

Top 5 Most Expensive Homes in Loudoun County

Loudoun County’s five most expensive sales in 2020 include sales ranging from $3.75M-$16M. At a price tag of $16M, you could have secured a 1,550+ acre cattle farm in Upperville, surrounded by vineyards and a short drive to Middleburg.

Listing and photo by Kathryn Harrell, Washington Fine Properties (33542 Newstead Ln, Upperville)

Top 5 Most Expensive Homes in Washington DC

Washington DC’s five most expensive sales in 2020 range from $6.1M-$17.75M, with Georgetown commanding four of those sales. Want a 10,000sqft home with a detached 2-car garage and 6/10th of an acre in Georgetown? That’ll run you $17.75M in 2020.

Listing and photo by Michael Rankin, TTR Sotheby’s International Realty (1405 34th St NW, Washington DC)

Top 5 Most Expensive Homes in Montgomery County

Montgomery County’s five most expensive sales in 2020 range from $5.475M-$15M, including my personal favorite, a $10M mansion on Chevy Chase Circle sitting on nearly two acres (pictured below).

Listing and photo by Daniel Heider, TTR Sotheby’s International Realty (9 Chevy Chase Cir, Chevy Chase)

Top 5 Most Expensive Homes in the DMV, Outside the Greater DC Metro

The DMV’s five most expensive sales in 2020, outside of the greater DC Metro area, range from $6.2M-$10M, including four homes fronting the Chesapeake Bay. My personal favorite, pictures below, is a 36 acre waterfront estate just outside of St. Michaels, and includes a WWII replica fighter plane hung from the ceiling of the great room.

Listing and photo by Doc Keane, Washington Fine Properties (26310 Saint Michaels Rd, Easton)

I hope that was a fun tour through 2020’s most expensive homes in the DMV! Happy New Year everybody!

If you’d like to discuss buying or selling strategies, don’t hesitate to reach out to me at Eli@EliResidential.com.

The Missing Ultra High-End in Arlington

Question: I recently saw a home listed in Arlington for almost $30M. Are there neighborhoods in Arlington with ultra-expensive homes like this?

Answer: We hear a lot about the “missing middle” in Arlington housing, but there’s another market that Arlington struggles to support that nobody is talking about…the super-rich. Sure we have plenty of homes that sell for $1M-$2.5M (457 sold in 2019) but in 2019 there were only seven sales over $2.5M and just one over $3M (and that was a sub-dividable lot). So what gives with everybody calling Arlington “expensive” if we can’t support the super-rich? Where do they live? (I hope my sarcasm is coming across…)

405 Chain Bridge Rd Arlington VA 22207. Listed by Mark Lowham, TTR Sotheby’s.

Arlington’s Most Expensive Homes

The recently listed $28.5M home, by Mark Lowham of TTR Sotheby’s, on the Potomac River side of Chain Bridge Rd is an anomaly in Arlington. Outside of the prestigious Country Club Hills neighborhood and Turnberry Tower penthouse-level condos, sale prices in Arlington rarely eclipse the $3M mark and even in those communities the handful of $3M+ sales historically top out at $4M. And then you have a very small pocket of ultra-luxury homes at $5M+ along the Potomac, off Chain Bridge Rd, which fall within Arlington County, but actually have a Mclean mailing address and zip code (22101).

Note: There are dozens more homes in Arlington worth $3M-$5M that just haven’t been sold. Many are custom built in the last 10-15 years with the original owners still occupying them. There are also a handful of private sales that aren’t entered into the MLS because they were sold off-market.

Why Doesn’t Arlington Have Ultra-Expensive Homes?

So with so much wealth and close proximity to DC, why doesn’t Arlington have more ultra-expensive homes? The answer is lot size.

For anybody that has looked for a home with a little elbow room/privacy in Arlington, you’ve reached the unfortunate conclusion that it’s very difficult to find anything with more than ¾ acres (even ½ acre is highly coveted) and there are just a small handful of properties with more than 1.5 acres. Smaller lots make it difficult to build enough house to justify a $5M+ price tag.

Where To Spend $5M+?

So where do people with $5M+ to spend on a home live? In Northern VA, most of those homes are in Mclean or Great Falls, as well as further west in Loudon County’s horse/wine country. DC’s most popular ultra-expensive neighborhoods are Georgetown and Kalorama, with a spattering of other neighborhoods west of Rock Creek Park. In Maryland you’ll find the most expensive homes in Potomac along River Rd, as well as Chevy Chase and Bethesda.

Enjoy Some Photos

For those of you who are here just for the pictures, here you go! I’ve linked to $5M homes either for sale or sold in the last few years in the area:

Northern Virginia

Washington DC

Maryland (Montgomery County and Eastern Shore)